Flowers for the Living
by Zen Monk
Summary: With resolution in their hearts, Akihiko and Mitsuru reflect on their lives: what they gained, have bitterly lost, and what can still be recalled. With their last Christmas in mind, their shared memories are made much sweeter and warmer. Behind the Scenes
1. Carnations

Despite the day being frigid and nippy, all characteristics of a normal December day, Akihiko couldn't help but breathe deeply for his sense of fulfillment. He had by now made up his mind on what to say to Ryoji at the end of the month, along with Ken with whom he couldn't help but feel proud of the young boy's development and resolve. And so his heart felt a little bit more at ease, his spirit a little bit strengthened now that there is a goal to be accomplished. With the worries of the past month behind him, he could now focus on other matters without feeling distracted or clouded with anxiety.

Like Christmas.

In the past couple of years, he treated Christmas as just about what an ordinary day in his life could be, albeit he had to be extra wary of the girls at school, who seemed to be more... persistent compared to any other day of the year (at least on Valentine's Day he could expect a locker stuffed with chocolate and hopeful females bearing gifts with nearly little or no fuss). But, to make the day feel somewhat meaningful to him, as the holiday spirit can produce a very infectious force, he would hang out at Hagakure with Shinji with maybe Mitsuru in tow as she would also catch the spirit of wanting to be with people, or work out at the gym; and while en route to the dorm he would think about how the people around him seem a little happier, a little softer, and remember when his little sister Miki would pull his sleeve at the bright windows of department stores with gleaming toys or the smart dresses that she hoped would someday wear.

He shifted his bags from his left hand to his right as he walked away from Paulownia Mall towards Port Island Station, his shoes clicking against the sidewalk and feeling grateful that he brought another coat to wear over his school jacket and vest. He reached into his cell phone and checked the time, hoping he would catch the 4:45 train on time. With the short days promising early darkness and clouds that threatened snow upon the world, he would rather not wait around the area where he could feel the cold ocean breeze damping his cheeks and chapping his lips.

He passed by Gekkoukan High, where there were still a few people lingering, having been in Christmas parties in their respective clubs or sport teams. Some members of the boxing team were going out to Hagakure for some well-deserved ramen after a very successful school year with their ever-capable Captain at the helm.

* * *

"Hey, Akihiko-senpai! The guys are going out to Hagakure after school, wanna come with? If we don't hurry, the restaurant's gonna fill up and we won't savor the Christmas Special, one of the many delicacies of that establishment."

"Thanks for the offer, but I have something to take care of that I don't think I'll have time to meet up with you guys. Sorry."

The Vice-Captain sidled up to put a friendly arm around him and said, "Aww, come on Captain. You never really hang out with us, since you're always working out after practice. If anything, you deserved some celebrating what with all the many victories and awards and trophies that have bestowed upon our fair house of learning since you've taken the helm."

Akihiko shrugged off the vice-captain's arm and scoffed. "You're weird as always, Hiro. I still can't fully get how you managed to stay vice-captain all year."

Hiro looked mock-affronted, looking at the rest of the team, which have now gathered to partake in this exchange, to seek out what he did to deserve such lack of faith.

"Well, I could say the same thing to you, Senpai. You've been acting strangely yourself the past couple of weeks."

Akihiko looked at him, a questioning eyebrow raised. Hiro continued, "I mean, you were all distracted and anxious and really not your calm, cool normal self. A couple of other guys, including me, were actually starting to worry. So we thought, hey, let's go hang out for ramen because that's what teammates do, we work together and celebrate together."

Akihiko stared at Hiro and then looked at the rest of the team. Their expressions indicated they agreed with their vice-captain's words and looked beseechingly at their Captain. Akihiko gave a short laugh and smirked.

"Thanks for the concern, but I still have to pass. I have an errand to run at the mall, so I still don't have free time on my hands."

Hiro looked away in disappointment, but he smiled in acceptance. "All right, all right. Some other time, then. But we have to hang out before you graduate."

Akihiko nodded.

"What's this errand for, anyway? A date?" asked a sophomore. "What, is Kirijo still keeping you on a short leash?" A few guys snickered. Akihiko could feel a vein beating on his forehead.

"Or maybe he finally asked a girl out." A few more snickers mixed with chortles. He clenched his jaw.

"I actually thought that you were feeling off recently because she dumped you," said another. His patience snapped.

"And just where the hell," he turned around looking at each of them, "did that come from?" Akihiko said calmly.

All eyes were on the vice-captain. He whistled innocently.

* * *

He finally reached the patterned tiles of Port Island Station, panting a bit and feeling much warmer from the trek. He checked the time again and was please to find that he still has a while to wait for the train. He sat on a nearby bench and rested the bags on the ground beside his knees. He leaned back and sighed, watching his breath steam out into the biting air. He took note of the many flyers and posters on the columns and the walls next to the flower shop, and on the ground where the leaves of propaganda were turning over themselves in the slight breeze. He quietly snorted in disgust at the graffiti claiming "Nyx!" on the back of another bench and the mounting papers upon papers that belonged to fervent know-nothings that marred the scene like splashes of careless paint in a garage, like dirty seaweed on a beach where flies get scattered away by intrepid beach-goers.

_Tch… The odds of this _not_ made by Strega are a million to one. Just can't believe it._

He remembered a moment in time a couple of days ago when he overheard one of the underclassmen talking with his friend about the flyers and Nyx. He gave a sideways glance at him when he heard the slight stirring of positive feedback regarding the matter, and then immediately barked at him if he would like a friendly spar. The underclassman jumped at the request, but at the sight of Akihiko's friendly smile, however forced it felt like for the one smiling, beamed at the attention and scurried to gather his equipment.

Akihiko wondered if there are, in fact, believers here at the station, whether they are the group of kids huddled outside the movie theater or the customers sitting calmly at the café beyond sipping hot coffee and tea. His eyes passed over the stairs leading to the seedier area of the station. He's somewhat positively sure that the rough crowd in the back alleys aren't followers of the asinine cult, as they don't seem to care about anything, taking pride in their status as "loners" outside the bell curve.

At the corner of his eye, he glanced a hint of red and then turned to find what looked like Mitsuru talking to the shopkeeper of Rafflesia, gesturing towards a bouquet of flowers over the woman's shoulder.

Akihiko got up and collected his bags to stand a little closer to get a better look. He stopped by the stairs leading to the train station and confirmed it was, in fact, Mitsuru Kirijo holding a bouquet of white flowers and being rung up at the cash register. He waited until she finished her purchase before calling out to her.

"That you, Mitsuru?"

Mitsuru gave a small start and snapped her head towards the voice. She gave a relaxed smile and replied, "Oh, hello Akihiko. What brings you here?"

They both walked towards each other to meet, Akihiko shifting his bags a bit nervously and Mitsuru brushing her hair back. She wore a long grey pea coat over her school uniform, her red voluptuous ribbon replaced with a wooly red scarf tucked inside the lapels. He noticed that she doesn't seem to be her assured, well-gathered self, judging with the slight swaying of her legs shifting weight and the awkward crinkling of the plastic holding the flowers.

"I was on my way back to the dorm and I came here a little early, so I waited around a bit. What about you?" he asked, pointing his chin at her bouquet. "Those flowers for someone you're going to meet?"

He saw upon closer inspection that they are white chrysanthemums.

"Oh. Well, er…" she fished for words. "I seem to be in the same boat as you. After my duties in Student Council, I came here a little early and well, I thought I should maybe buy some flowers for someone. So, yes, I am in a way meeting with someone."

She cleared her throat and collected herself back into the formal, vague façade she wore near constantly in public. Akihiko's brow minutely furrowed, a little puzzled in her awkward tone with him.

"Uh…" he started, the words he wanted to say feeling foreign and misshaped. "Are you, er, that is… you're not on a _date_, are you?" He can't help but grimace a little at what he just said.

"What? Oh, uh… heh," she laughed, like a big sigh she kept in her chest. "No, nothing of the sort. I just thought of seeing an old friend, and that I should maybe bring him something."

He immediately understood who she's implying.

"I see," he said somberly. The mutual understanding between them felt as binding as two matching bookends in a bloated shelf, as equal as weights on a scale.

Mitsuru lowered her eyes a little self-consciously and murmured, loud enough for his ears alone.

"Would you accompany me to the back alley? I'm not quite sure where to put these, really, and I thought that you might know, since you're here."

He nodded. As they started to walk towards the stairs leading into the underbelly of Port Island Station, he said as an afterthought.

"I wouldn't allow a girl I know go down there without an escort, anyway. Even if you are Mitsuru Kirijo."

She gave his implications a questioning stare and shoved him lightly in retaliation.

* * *

Lucky for them, the usual crowd wasn't there and the place was deserted. Akihiko showed her the place where he and Ken stood to think about Shinji, and where they made their resolution to look death straight in the eyes. Mitsuru laid the carnations gently against the wall, and both gave a moment of silence.

He observed her closed eyes and her clasping hands hanging in front of her, struck by realizing that during the weight of his loss and the continuing tragedies that compounded together, one by one, he forgot that she also shared his feelings, that she had lost what they both share.

Their first comrade, their first friend, their first brother.


	2. Personae

The subway was packed with people, leaving barely enough room for the two seniors to stand a respective distance from each other. Right after he got in the train, Akihiko deliberately turned away from a group of girls he recognized at school sitting not too far in a row of seats. He sidled a few steps to inconspicuously use Mitsuru's and another passenger's body as an obstruction for their line of sight. He could easily imagine what would happen if they saw him and grimaced.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mitsuru saw her companion's gloved hand reaching up for the strap next to the one she's holding. He used his foot to slide his bags to his new location and turned his face stubbornly to the window. Wondering why the sudden shift in him, she turned around to look at the rest of the car, peeking through the spaces between coat sleeves and woolen caps. She saw the group of Gekkoukan girls huddled with their packages resting against their knees and either looking out the window or texting on their cell phones. She pressed her lips together in mirth, understanding the situation.

She leaned in close to Akihiko and murmured,

"You know, when I first saw you, I assumed that _you_ were meeting someone, since you have brought such brightly colored packages with tow."

He slowly turned his face towards her, his visage adorned with disgust narrowed eyes and a mortified frown. She continued, her lips curled into a slightly suppressed smile.

"I had wondered how you could have picked someone considering your… selection of admirers." Now she smiled a little wider.

Akihiko leaned in.

"Never… from… this… _school_," he hissed.

A delighted gasp broke the atmosphere in the train car, startling the shaking elderly and turning the wide eyes of children and smothering mothers. Akihiko and Mitsuru started.

"Oh my _gawd_, it's A-ki-hi-ko sempai!" gushed a voice. Her companions joined in her excitement, demanding his location.

As the girls caught on and made a clamor, Akihiko hung his head and gave a polite lackluster wave. They squealed again and diverted their attention back to within themselves, making hushed exclamations to one another. Akihiko sighed in relief that he succeeded in not drawing more attention to himself.

"Just execute me right now," he grumbled.

* * *

When they reached Iwatodai station, the sun was beginning to set. The sun peaked out from a corner of the cloud blanket, bidding good-bye to another part of the world and turning to say hello to another. Just as Mitsuru stepped over the threshold, she felt something tugging at her coat sleeve. Before she could register what is was, she found herself being pulled by Akihiko into the flow of passengers leaving the train.

"A-Akihiko, what- Uh!"

A man accidentally bumped into her as she stumbled into his pass. She gave a hurried apology before being led away and disappearing into more people. Finally, they slowed down when they reached the wall and Akihiko released her sleeve. He glanced back and looked over the heads of the people passing by and breathed out a sigh of relief. Mitsuru placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her.

"What did you think you were doing?" she asked sternly. Akihiko placed his hand on the back of his neck, feeling the prickling, agitated sensation in that area whenever he felt nervous or uncomfortable. He smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry about that, Mitsuru. I just wanted to, uh, _really_ get away from the train before they catch up."

"They?" she inquired, then realized what he meant. "Oh, those girls."

She brushed her hair back from her shoulders and started walking, Akihiko catching up to walk side-by-side.

"You could have warned me what you were doing," she scolded.

"Yeah, well, in my experience you have to be quick in order to avoid a confrontation. And they walk pretty fast for a bunch of girls wearing heels…"

Mitsuru gave a disbelieving smile. "You don't like them being around you that much? I thought that most young men would enjoy it, like Junpei."

"Are you kidding?" exclaimed Akihiko stepping on the escalator down. "Every time they come near me I start getting a headache. And they talk so much about dumb stuff that I don't even remember what they've said afterwards. Then they get mad at me and make more noise…"

They stepped off and walked across the street towards the strip mall. The trees lining the sidewalk are adorned with Christmas lights and various store windows contained brightly lit displays of mannequins in winter wear and flashy tags showing sales of various percentages.

However, just like in Port Island Station, the what-should-have been glowing scene was marred by various evidence of the suicide cult. The ground was littered by flyers and slashed with graffiti. The trees have the cult's symbol carved in the bark by cheap pocketknives. There aren't as many shoppers or people being outside cheerfully; instead, the usual crowds of the holiday season are replaced by individuals standing, brooding with hands clasped in front of them, and small, shady gatherings of teenagers quietly talking with eyes glowing with fervent fanaticism. The other people who don't share their belief can only scurry along to their destination, unsure if the streets should be traversed in a relaxed and calm state.

What is this atmosphere? Mitsuru wondered. Is it the feeling of a happy occasion violated by an unwanted, hostile guest? Or is the environment already twisted and the bright lights and pretty decorations a mask to hide the ugliness, a persona to fool the world?

She felt Akihiko walking closer besides her, aware of his muscles tensing, his shoulders squared, and his back straightened. She saw the placid faces of the cult believers and stared straight into their unreaching eyes. Most looked away from her piercing glare, but some, as though glazed with a shield that seems to protect them, like glass in a window, stared back haughtily, confidently.

"I can't believe these losers are here, too," Akihiko said softly. "And at a time like this…"

"They're not losers, Akihiko," said Mitsuru, almost stiffly as if she's trying to tell herself that also. "They're trying to leech onto something for support, and unfortunately this "cult" nonsense is what they found." She lowered her eyes as though in an afterthought. "Actually, I also didn't think these people to be parading around here on today of all days. Perhaps I thought that, somehow, today we would have a break from all the lies and truths we keep witnessing."

"Yeah," he agreed. "But we all have a choice, including whether to believe something or not. By choosing to believe the ridiculous cult business by _Strega_," he spat out the word distastefully, "it just shows the thoughts that that person has. And if some guys claim they're believers because other people are too also shows how little they care about other things."

"You think this is all by Strega, too?" she asked.

"Who else?" he retorted. He scowled at the thought and looked back warily at the people they left, feeling his brow tense like a stretched rubber band, as tense as a mask trying hide a face that was too big to cover.

* * *

They passed by the bookstore and slowly found their way into the residential areas of Iwatodai. Mitsuru breathed a sigh of relief when they entered the more enclosed and quiet neighborhoods away from the strip mall. Here, she could hear herself think from all the roaring of the traffic and the music jingles from the department stores. As they go further away, the sidewalks have less litter and the atmosphere seem less suffocating.

Akihiko sighed as well, and relaxed his stance. He shifted his bags and school briefcase to the other hand, stretching his now empty arm and rolling his shoulder.

"Are those gifts?" Mitsuru inquired. "From other people?"

"Well, no, but they are presents. I ordered some stuff from Paulownia Mall for the other guys at the dorm."

"Really? That's rather thoughtful of you." She had another question on the tip of her tongue to follow that vein, but she decided against, so as to not be too presumptuous.

"...What did you get?" she asked innocently.

"Well, I didn't buy a present for everyone, but I got something for a couple of people. I got Fuuka a glass figurine of a dog, since she's such a great help to the team. And, I got one of those Super Sentai action figures that Ken likes so much. He says he doesn't _really_ like them, but I peeked inside his room before. It's actually kind of disturbing how much he likes that show…"

He happened to glance at her small smile when he trailed off. She seemed to be remembering something fondly, the kind of look she sometimes have in her eyes whenever she rarely shared something close to her.

"…Got something to share?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh. I was just thinking of how close you and Amada are. Actually," her voice suddenly became softer, almost hesitant, "I was afraid that after Shinjiro's death, you both might become more… distant towards each other. Maybe even resentful. But, I worried over nothing. Seeing you two together sometimes made me think that, if I hadn't known either of you, you could be brothers."

"Really?" Akihiko said incredulously. "Huh… I didn't see myself that way before." He rubbed the back of his neck, his smile awkward but pleased. Mitsuru took advantage of his dropped guard.

"So… is it nice?"

"Hm?"

"To be like a big brother again?"

He was taken aback by her words, his mind drawing a blank on what to say. He switched hands and slung the bags over his shoulder, turning away for a moment.

"Yeah. It kinda does."

They continued walking in silence, their shoes clicking on the sidewalk and their sound echoing the stillness of the houses and street signs. A slight wind blew the dry leaves on the stiff grass of a front yard, and in the distance a dog barked. At a crossroad that divides the distance between their dorm and Naganaki Shrine, Akihiko stopped suddenly at the corner. Mitsuru, having gone in the direction of the dorm, looked back to see him staring into space, pondering.

"Akihiko? What's wrong?"

He blinked and said, after a while, "Hey, Mitsuru. Do you feel like hanging out a bit longer? I kind of don't feel like going home just yet."

"Huh?" She gave him a bewildered look. "Well, I suppose so, but-"

"I'm not thinking of the strip mall or anything. How about the shrine? I was thinking of doing something there a little earlier and you know, it's been a while since we've just talked and hung out like this." Then, as though he just caught himself from a faux pas, he flailed, "Or maybe some other time, if you're busy. Doesn't have to be today…"

Mitsuru shook her head. "No, it's ok. It's good to do this kind of thing, now and then."

* * *

Man, I'm on a roll. So, 2nd chapter in two days. Around the same time (1:00 am!). So this is my first serious attempt at writing fanfiction, and an interaction between two people, too! So, please give constructive criticism for whatever I do, because I'd like to learn my mistakes and improve on them, instead of agonizing and agonizing... I sometimes feel like a total windbag making all those descriptions, but I like a little filler to give imagery to the reader.

Also, thank you reviewers for my first chapter! It delighted me so much that I received such support, and especially from writers whom I respect very much. Really, my heart is full.

Now, for me, I'm a real Akihiko/Mitsuru fan. So I wrote this. Now, once I gain more confidence in writing actual romances, I'll incorporate that into future works. So for now, if you're like me, then let's fangirl together! And if you're not a fan of this pairing, well, hopefully you can see this as a friendship and not a romance thing. I try to be universal, but I like subtle personal interaction, so it goes both ways. Then, does that mean it's universal...?

Notes: I'm sorry, but I can totally see Akihiko liking Super Sentai, or Power Rangers type of shows when he was a wee lad. He and his sisters would jump up and down in excitement... and maybe with Shinji, too, as he himself was a child... Then after the trauma he would be into fighting and protecting his friends and loved ones... just like Power Rangers! And Justice!

Also, every time I hear the fangirl scene for Akihiko, I always think of bouncy, preppy, ev-r'y syl-la-ble in-a-name counts voice, maybe bopping their head side-to-side while doing that. I want to incorporate how each character in the game thinks of their social status instead of others thinking what they think they are, so in future chapters of this (hopefully not) blown-out fic I'd like to include a bit of psychology.

Wish me luck!


	3. To the End

The ending minutes of the blue hour beckons dusk; the baleful glow of the streetlights enhanced the deep blue of the sky, whose clouds have dispersed in various areas to let in the shade of nighttime's eve right after the sun sets

The fading minutes of the blue hour slipped into dusk; the baleful glow of the streetlights enhanced the deep blue of the sky, whose clouds have dispersed in various areas to let in the shade of nighttime's eve right after the sun sets. At Naganaki Shrine, aside from various small lamps placed around the playground, many areas are cloaked in shadows and strained darkness. The two teenagers set themselves on a bench nearby the jungle gym, having cleared away the scraps of paper around its area. Mitsuru sat with her hands shoved in her coat's pockets, her legs pressed together tightly and unconsciously turned towards Akihiko's knees for more warmth. The aforementioned young man rested his back against the bench's curved shape, his legs crossed, and gloved hands resting on lap. The bench has enough space for him to place his bags beside him.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Mitsuru softly.

They hadn't spoken a word during their short detour to the shrine. Despite the silence of the neighborhood and his companion, Akihiko's mind was reeling with various conversation topics bouncing around his head, their restless energy increasing with his negative thoughts of what a silly offer he made to her to go to someplace when they've already left the venue of entertainment (no matter how visually unappealing Iwatodai had become). But now that they're here, he found that the threads of conversation that have whizzing through his brain became silent and inaccessible. A complete blank. He took a deep breath and took what he had mulling over for some time.

"Have you made your decision?" he asked. "About the end of the month? I think I know what it is, but I just want to know what you feel about it."

Mitsuru took a moment.

"Then, I'd say that what you suspected was right. For a while, I felt very restless whenever I think of how futile the situation is as Ryoji had described. Gradually, I thought of doing something, that I still wanted to fight no matter what, just to stop feeling like I'm running in circles."

Akihiko smiled knowingly, understanding her situation exactly.

"After talking with Takeba, I made up my mind. I wanted to challenge Nyx head-on and see what it is we're going to face. Takeba and I will continue our father's fight to right the wrongs in this world. Whether we succeed or not, at least we will try."

Akihiko nodded, satisfied with his answer. "I thought as much."

"What about you, Akihiko?"

"Hmm? Well, I have to say that I feel the same as you do. I don't have such noble reasons like carrying on a father's wish or something like that, but I'll tell you what I told Ken: 'I'm going to look at death straight in the eyes- and I won't turn away.'"

He made a half-grin.

"But I'm also still thinking of who I'm fighting for. You know, before I never really realized who it is exactly I'm fighting for. I always say that I want to protect the people I care about, but I only think of the ones I lost, like my little sister or my parents who I don't even remember anymore. I didn't even think of Shinji when he was alive, because for all the times he made me worry or when I think he's turning into something I don't even know anymore, I know that he can take care of himself. How pathetic…"

His smile flattened and his features darkened slightly. A smile like bitter almonds. It almost hurt her to see it.

"I only rise to the occasion when they're really in trouble. I'm never there when they're not."

"That's not true," interrupted Mitsuru. Akihiko stared at her, slightly taken aback, like a swimmer pulled out of water.

"I can think of so many times when you've always supported people and the team. When Shinjiro first left SEES," Mitsuru's tone dropped slightly, her face drawn in sadness as she said his name, "I was felt afraid; for him and for had happened. But most of all, I was afraid that you would leave, too. Understandably so. But you stayed, and I felt so happy and relieved."

She pressed her lips in a tight smile.

You remind me to keep in check, that I should think of other people, even though I always thought I did. Without you, I would be at a lost at how to handle all the new members and how to direct them. They look to you for advice in battles, they know you can support them when I could do at the time is give feedback. And you always helped them with their problems, whether it's Iori's schoolwork or advising them on what to do in a personal situation. If it weren't for you, I think that some of them would leave."

She blinked, then looked away self-consciously, unaccustomed to exposing herself so readily.

"Even if… you think that you should have been more than what you've been doing, more than just training and building strength, to me, I've always thought that you've done more than enough- for me and for everyone."

She rubbed her arms nervously, feeling rather embarrassed and flushing at the corners of her cheeks. Akihiko, in turn, brushed back his hair and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wow Mitsuru… I didn't think… well.. er…" He was used to people praising him, but he didn't know what to do with what Mitsuru had just said. She looked at him so earnestly then, so open. It was like seeing a different person in her. He really felt put into a spot.

"Well, what I mean to say is…" she said quickly, perturbed by the rising awkwardness.

"…You're welcome."

"Hm?" He said it so quietly, she thought she was hearing things.

"I said 'You're welcome,' Mitsuru," he said, while putting his hands in his coat pockets, looking ahead.

They sat for a while in silence, his words feeling like how one shuts the door on a clamorous room. Akihiko looked askance towards his bags and his face brightened at a sudden thought.

"Oh, Mitsuru. I got you something for today."

"…You did?" She said incredulously. "Oh, no. You shouldn't have." Her surprise gave way to small delight.

"I ordered it awhile ago when I was getting Fuuka's present at Shinsendou Antique Shop." He pulled his shopping bag towards him and shifted around inside to look for it. "I didn't really know what to get for either of you, but the lady there helped me out a lot- hey, she even gift-wrapped for me, too." He pulled out each individual package to examine the name tag on the wrapping with his opened cellphone's light. "Here it is." He handed her a bright red package with snowflake patterns topped with a white ribbon.

She took it in her hands, weighing it and wondering what could be inside. "I'm sorry, but I didn't have anything to give you. Thank you."

He gave a small chuckle and smiled abashedly. "Don't thank me just yet. You didn't even open it."

"Well, then, let's see what it is."

"Now? Why not wait to do that at the dorm?"

She nodded her head. "Don't worry, there's enough light here. And I'm curious to see what you've given me." Her fingers traced the present and pulled at the folds where the tape held it together.

He observed her hands unwrapping the package delicately so as to not damage the paper, feeling restless and somewhat impatient to see what her reaction would be. He stood up suddenly, not wanting to sit still waiting, and walked towards the jungle gym. The area around was not free from the invading Nyx posters and some of them were even hanging off the bars. He tore them down to kill some time.

The sound of crinkling paper ceased and he turned around at the sound of the box lid popping open. He saw her eyes widen in amazement as she pulled out a doll, fingering the genuine 100 red silk kimono layered over its soft figure and gently stroking its pitch-black hair. The moon's soft light gave soft reflections on the doll's alabaster cheeks, its red lips striking.

"Akihiko…"

"Uh… The shopkeeper at the antique store recommended me that when I asked her what I should give you, since nothing really came to mind…" Then he muttered to himself, "I mean, what _can_ you give to a rich girl…"

"But," he continued, "I thought it looked nice and that it seems like something acceptable. Though, I realized that you might not be into dolls… anymore?" he trailed off, feeling self-conscious.

"I love it," Mitsuru said shortly.

"Huh? Really?!" He felt relief welcoming him.

"This is very fine craftsmanship. Look at her clothes; usually it's made with lesser quality fabric, but this is actual silk. And its gold embroidery is very detailed and fine; I could even say it's handmade by a skilled tailor. Even the hair is real…." She stroked the doll fondly, a soft smile on her lips.

"Thank you very much, Akihiko. I will treasure it."

Akihiko gave a crooked grin, feeling pleased.

"You're welcome," he said, the second time tonight. He looked back down at the stack of posters in his hands, and then hurriedly walked to the nearest trash receptacle, finding some difficulty stuffing it all down the small hole of the lid.

Mitsuru placed the doll back in its box and folded the wrapping paper and ribbon. She considered putting them in her school bag before settling on Akihiko's bag of presents.

_He probably won't mind_, she thought. She parted some of the boxes while she stuffed the wrappings in a corner, giving them side glances and wondering which is for whom. She examined a pale blue present with a navy ribbon, presumably Fuuka's, when she spied an unwrapped box at the bottom. Upon closer inspection, she saw her name on a nametag, along with what seemed to be a mailing address to Paulownia Mall. She pulled it out, noting its lightness compared to the previous gift. Using her nails to tear through the clear tape on the edges, she placed her hands on both sides and lifted the lid. She shifted through brown cushioning paper before feeling something smooth and polished beneath her fingertips. The slick surface guiding her fingers, she lifted something black and rectangular from the box.

She heard hurried footsteps as she pondered what it is (an ink stone?) and then a glove hand somewhat forcibly, as if in a panic, took it away from her grasp quickly. She looked up and stared at Akihiko.

"Uh…." He uttered. Then he turned away from her and walked towards the jungle gym. "Th-that shouldn't be opened!"

"Whuh… Oh! I'm sorry. That was thoughtless of me." Her cheeks reddened in shame. "I just was looking through your bag, which I shouldn't have, and I saw that box with my name on it, and I _assumed_," she took a calming deep breath, "that it was intended for me. It was uncalled for, and you have every right to be… indignant." She felt the blazing heat spreading throughout her face, now deeply ashamed and embarrassed at her misdemeanor.

"No, no. It's- It's alright. It's understandable," he flailed.

"Of course, that is, I probably jumped to conclusions and thought I saw my name on it. So, it's not for me." She nodded as though agreeing to herself.

"Right… but that's not entirely true…" Mitsuru stared at him questioningly as he trailed off.

"…So it _is_ for me?"

"Um… Yeah. But, not really." He can't help but feel lame at his half-truths.

"So which is it?"

Akihiko remained silent, his mind wrestling with words that he wanted to say but lacking the ability to form them into sentences. His cheeks and the tips of his ears flamed as he felt increasingly at a loss of his mind constipation. Mitsuru got up and walked towards him, her feet making soft, muffled sounds in the sand surrounding the jungle gym. She placed her hand on top of his holding the black tablet. He released it into her grasp and she inspected it closely.

It's a memorial tablet. She traced over the characters of her father's name imbedded in the stone, not quite sure what she should feel. Indignant? Sad? Being somewhat incredulous that something… pretentious(?) that was intended for her which might borderline bad taste?

"I've, er," Akihiko began, desperately regretting this purchase he made a couple weeks ago. "When I was getting your Christmas present, I was looking around the shop when I noticed the ihai. Then, I had remembered that one time when I asked to borrow some notes- you remember that time? When I went inside your room?"

He looked at her to expect a sign of affirmation, but all he saw was the top of her head looking down at her somber gift. He cleared his throat, feelings of discomfort rising.

"So I remembered that time, and at the shop I thought that it was strange that I didn't see, like, a picture or something of your father to, you know, commemorate him or something. I'm sure you have your reasons, like maybe those things are at your house… but I don't know, I thought it was a little unexpected. I don't mean anything by it!" His face was stricken as he realized what his words could imply. "I don't think it's wrong or anything! I guess…."

He took a deep breath, looking at the memorial tablet thoughtfully then looking away.

"Maybe getting this was more for me…"

Mitsuru gazed up at him questioningly.

"I mean, I owe the Kirijo Group, and your father, a lot. Ever since I became a persona-user, my life improved. I can go into Gekkoukan High with all my school expenses paid instead of worrying if I'm going to get any scholarship awards or loans. I had a place to live in the dorm, along with Shinji, which I wasn't even sure if we would still be together for high school (Gekkoukan's is pretty hard to get in- not that I worried about it in middle school). Your father even gave us an allowance for our personal expenses, even though he didn't have to. Before I got wrapped up in Tartarus and the truth of the Dark Hour, I really had to worry about how to live my life during high school, never mind adulthood."

Akihiko stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked around the jungle gym to the opposite side, looking into the water's surface of the well.

"Despite the ups and downs we've experienced in SEES, I'm really grateful for what your father did for us. Aside from me wanting to get stronger, I wanted to show my appreciation for all the good your father and the company did for me. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to help get rid of the Dark Hour: I wanted to repay him by helping you, by helping a good friend."

Mitsuru looked at him with shining eyes, at his straight back that never bent in defeat, at his head tilted towards the reflection of the water's surface whose grey hair gleamed faintly in the moonlight. She felt her throat constrict, and suddenly found herself having a little difficulty breathing. But above all, she was lost in how tender she felt towards him at his words.

"And then he died," he continued, grimacing as his remembered her slumped form next to his body, fragile, broken, and vulnerable. "And I never got to thank him, not just for the things he's done for me and Shinji, but for what a good man he is to all of us. So I ordered that," he turned around to face her, seeing how tightly she clutched the tablet towards her chest through the dark metal bars and the long shadows crisscrossing over her hair and form. "Because I thought it might be nice if we could burn incense for him together. At least, I thought it would be."

Mitsuru silently walked towards him, the loud clicking of her heels on stone like a hard heartbeat in the cold night air. Without hesitation she wrapped her arms tightly around his torso, her head pressed hard against his lapels. He was slightly startled at her actions, but he clutched her shoulders and placed his left hand on the back of her head, and sighed deeply as he held her. He could feel the swirling emotions inside her by how hard she pulled him towards her, and he thought how similar the weight of their feelings are for the things they shared. Mitsuru felt the fabric of his coat next to her face became warm from her shaky breaths, and couldn't help but wonder what a solid feeling it was to be connected to this strong person, how soothing it was to know that this unwavering person had always stood by her and will continue to do so when it was hard enough to have the strength to stand by yourself.

"Back at Yakushima," Akihiko began, his voice soft and husky. "Kirijo-san and I talked a bit. We talked about the other members, about the Shadows that came once a month, school, boxing, just to check up. Then he asked me about you, and he made me promise something."

He lessened his grip on her shoulders and his hands fell lower to her waist, his chin resting on top of her head.

"What did you promise?" Mitsuru whispered to his shoulder.

"I promised that because you always carried burdens on your shoulders, I would be there to make sure carry the ones you couldn't. That no matter what happens, I would look out for you."

He closed his eyes as he remembered the days when she came back, mourning her father, looking tired and tense, and crushed. Sometimes, he felt that he should have stepped in instead of giving her time alone. He felt very relieved when Mitsuru came back to her normal self during the school trip, thanks to Yukari, but he did wonder if he hadn't really honored Takeharu Kirijo's last words to him by his decision. He made sure to do better.

They parted from their embrace, both enjoying the warmth they have in each other. Mitsuru held his hand with her right, looking a little fondly at the memorial tablet in the other.

"Thank you, Akihiko. I'll keep this; I didn't have anything in my room to pay homage to my father, because I didn't think I could bear it if I had. I wanted to keep my focus on the task at hand, and I feared that if I became distracted by what I've lost, I would falter. But…" she gave his hand an assuring squeeze. "Now I'm strong enough to look back at the past. It's not that painful now that there are so many friends to help me. And you didn't have to repay my father, Akihiko, or me for that matter…" She lowered her eyes, abashed. "I understand why you feel you have to, but having you here, fighting alongside me and with a desire to protect others, and putting up with the mistake my family has made unto the world, meant everything to us.

"Akihiko?"

"Hm?"

"This goes without saying, but will you still continue to stand by me in our fight against Nyx? Even if it meant losing your life?"

Akihiko turned his hand around so he could interlock his fingers with hers, and held it up in front of them. He smiled.

"To the end. I don't know if I'm strong enough now to protect the people I can see in front of me, but it doesn't matter because I'll give it my all for everyone."

They walked back to the dorm, still vacant as the others might be celebrating Christmas with their own plans, and dumped their belongings in their rooms before they went back out to eat. They walked alongside cars whizzing past with glaring headlights, past windswept leaves and buzzing streetlights, entered quiet neighborhoods and emerging into brighter city-lights and softer-looking people. All the while, under a clear sky with stars over their heads.

* * *

"Wow, Junpei. This might be the lamest prank you pulled yet."

"Oh, come on, Yuka-tan. It's a classic!"

"It's fail-boat for sure."

Junpei rolled his eyes. "You have no imagination whatsoever." The others were back from their own doings at Christmas. Junpei went to Paulownia Mall with Ken and Koromaru, after first stopping at the shrine for a quick prayer, to eat at Chagall Café and afterwards at the arcade. They saw Minato and Yukari there, which they were too busy admiring the Christmas decorations to notice them, and that was when Junpei hatched a delightful plan. They went back to the dorm before the couple did, Junpei saying hi to Fuuka who was back from her outing with her friend Natsuki, and excitedly showed her the mistletoe.

"We have a ladder, right?" he asked her then.

Then minutes later, the fated couple arrived, had opened the door to see a nonchalant Junpei innocuously reading his manga on the sofa with Fuuka in a chair next to him, Koromaru napping beside the TV and Ken drinking his quart of milk, when suddenly Minato looked up and pointed it out to Yukari. She jumped back in a panic.

"W-What the heck?! Where did _that_ come from?!" she shouted.

"What? Oh, hey Yuka-tan. How've you-"

"Is that your doing, Stupei!?" She jabbed a finger in his direction, disgust etched on her face.

"What, the mistletoe? Oh, that." He gave a knowing smile. "Well, it's not like it's 'dangerous' or something. I mean, it's not a ghost popping out of nowhere…"

Yukari fumed at him silently.

"But hey, I wonder what would've happened if you and Minato here had accidentally stood under it…"

"Please!" she scoffed. "Why would I be imposed to do something just by standing under a plant? It may have a meaning, but it doesn't mean people would _have_ to."

"Then why'd you jump back like a cat splashed with water?" He argued. "And Minato, you should be offended; Yukari's implying that you're not worthy to be kissed by her."

"Yeah, Yukari," grinned Minato slyly, joining in on the jibe. "I'm not appealing or something?"

"W-what?! NO! I mean- what I meant to say was that I'm not going to kiss some guy just because I'm standing under a plant!"

"So, if we're not standing under a plant-"

"Oh, just shut up!" Yukari stomped past Minato, making sure to shove past his shoulder, towards the stairs and up to her room to dump her stuff. Junpei chuckled good-naturedly at Minato while Fuuka gave a half-smile at the situation. Minato stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the sofa's back.

"You know, if you keep teasing her, Junpei, she might be opposed to going out with me again. Then I might have to dump you as a friend to win back her favor."

"Aww, come on, Minato, you don't mean that. What happened to loyalty amongst men. As the American saying goes, "Bros over-"

"Stop that now," Minato scolded, shoving Junpei's cap over his face. Then he looked around the room, taking in his surroundings. "Fuuka, do you know where Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai are?"

"No, I haven't seen them in the dorm when I came back. They must still be out."

Junpei rearranged his cap on his head. "Together?" he asked. "Oh, man. Now that would be funny."

"What?" asked Fuuka.

"If Akihiko-san and Mitsuru-senpai were to walk in together and-"

The sound of the door opening turned the juniors' heads towards that direction and saw, to Junpei's silent delight, Akihiko holding the door out for Mitsuru. He had to put his hand over his mouth to stop from laughing out loud in triumph.

"Hey, Senpai…" greeted Minato.

"Good evening, Arisato," replied Mitsuru as she entered. She looked around, puzzled by the stiffness of their company, looking as if they're expecting something to happen. "…Did something happened?"

"No!" Junpei said quickly. Mitsuru raised an eyebrow at him as Akihiko entered the room proper.

"How've you guys' been?" He asked, steps away from where Mitsuru was standing, which was directly under the mistletoe. Junpei bugged out his eyes in anticipation. He couldn't wait to see their reactions.

"Fine," replied Minato, quite aware of the situation that might unfold, but taking things in stride. "Did you guys hang out or something?"

"Hmmm.. We just happened to meet together along the way," replied Mitsuru, taking off her coat and folding it in her arms. Akihiko was just about to stand next to her when she walked away to glance at the bookshelf next to the other sofa against the wall. Junpei groaned out loud.

"Aaaagh!"

Both seniors looked at him in surprise.

"What?" inquired Akihiko. He looked around, then looked up, and jumped back in surprise.

"What the-?! Wait a minute…" he calmed down, mulling over the situation. "What were you doing, Junpei?"

"Hey, why's everyone blaming me? Anyone ever thought that Minato could have done it?" Mitsuru looked at where Akihiko exclaimed vocally and widened her eyes at the mistletoe.

"Nope. 'Cause I wouldn't make the effort to do that anyway," Minato said succinctly.

"Man, of all the immature things you could have done, Junpei, this is the lamest," said Akihiko, shaking his head at the plant above. He walked away towards the kitchen area to greet Ken and give him his present.

"This is _so_ not lame!" proclaimed Junpei, getting off from the couch. He gestured towards the plant. "This is the stuff of great comedies and improv shows. The countless situations it could provide in any skit makes the subject in question contain the exact amount of camp and hilarity to make it charming!"

"Ugh, what are you babbling about now, Stupei?"

Yukari came back from her room, waving at Mitsuru as she did, but then Koromaru had gotten up from his nap and walked, unknowingly as he was still half-asleep, in Yukari's path. She gave a cry as she stumbled from the unaware animal, and then stood, rebalanced, next to Junpei.

Both looked at each other in shock, then above at the mistletoe, then at each other.

"DREAM ON, JUNPEI!" The smack was heard throughout all four floors of the building.

* * *

Fin. The end of my first, complete fanfic. ACHIEVEMENT POINT. Is this the milestone of which I crossed to ensure my writing career…? looks off in the distance

So, my interpretation of Akihiko and Mitsuru's relationship in here is that I don't want to imply that there's a romance between them (…yet) because I think of them, at least in this story, to have affection towards each other, but it's shown as openly as it is in this story because I figure it's the end of the world… they don't know what'll happen on the 31st… so they might as well be open with each other. I sometimes think they should all have a group counseling session. There's gotta be a psychiatrist out there in Iwatodai that's like Officer Kurosawa: doesn't experience the Dark Hour, but knows it's there, because he works with the Kirijo Group as a counselor for the many people in that company, like say Mitsuru's father, who might be traumatized by the event and have many doubts on their role as humans or whatever…

Speaking of which, the lady shopkeeper of the Antique Shop seems to be a researcher who pulled out early in the Kirijo Group. So she might have known Mitsuru for a long time (as she also knew Takeharu Kirijo). I bet the researchers call young Mitsuru "Mitsuru-chan." Just because.

So in short: Mitsuru + Akihiko affection between long-time friends (not romance, but not yet).

Closeness between friends equals all kinds of awesomeness. Not always pairings. Speaking of which, the last scene is a comedy scene, not fanservice.

There's also a coda in the making.

Beijing Olympics 2008 tonight! Check your local listings for NBC's Olympics Opening.


	4. Behind the Scenes

After Hours

After Hours

"Akihiko, do you remember last year's Christmas?"

Akihiko stopped mid-eating and pondered over her question. "Not too much. I don't think anything really special happened." He took a sip of water and settled into his chair. A waiter then refilled his glass, giving a respectful nod towards Mitsuru. After dumping their stuff at the dorm, Mitsuru took him to a nice restaurant where she had eaten before with her father and got them both a reservation, which if not for her influence would've been difficult to manage.

"I was just remembering how, as I was going home to the dorm, I saw you struggling to open the door with an armful of gifts. I thought the scene was very amusing, as you kept dropping them every time you reached out for the doorknob, until I had to help you get in."

"Oh, that," moaned Akihiko. "All the graduating seniors from last year kept giving me stuff, and it was kind of hard to say no to accepting them when they make the 'we'll probably never see each other again' excuse. I wished I had a plastic bag to carry them in, otherwise I wouldn't be walking around town like an idiot. Good thing that didn't happen to me again this year; I actually came prepared with a bag, just in case."

* * *

Hours earlier…

"Yo, Minato!"

Minato was walking with Yukari to the shoe lockers when Junpei's voice pulled his attention from her, an action which produced a scowl from Yukari.

"Merry Christmas, man," Junpei said joyfully. He was in the process of putting on his shoes, shoving his feet in and adjusting the heel with his finger. "You too, Yuka-tan. You guys doing anything special later?"

Yukari rolled her eyes disdainfully. "Like we'd tell you. As if being dorm-mates isn't enough to disclose our personal life to each other."

"What? I was just making some friendly conversation. Yeesh. Besides I didn't ask about what you guys are doing _together_." Yukari closed her eyes, silently calming down the rising annoyance by his words.

Minato, sensing more bickering, took the helm. "Are you doing anything, Junpei?"

"Nah," he replied. "Just thought I'd hang out with Ken and Koromaru. I mean, with all the depressing thoughts that's been going around this whole month, and since everyone was pretty mopey, not that I'd blame 'em, I thought that he should have a little fun as he's still a kid."

Junpei suddenly remembered something and motioned Minato to a particular shoe locker.

"Minato, I wanna show you somethin'."

Minato drew closer and saw that the shoe locker was Akihiko's.

"Remember that sometimes Akihiko-san would get surrounded by a wave of cuties? Kind of like parting the Red Sea?"

"Sure?" smirked Minato, mildly amused by his apt description.

"Well, I was suddenly stuck by an idea that spawned from my immense literary knowledge-"

"You mean manga?" Yukari interrupted.

"-that upon opening Akihiko-san's locker, there would be a whole bunch of presents tumbling out of that crammed little shoe space like Niagara Falls!" Junpei grinned, delighted by the image.

Minato gave a bemused smirk. "Now that'll be something."

Yukari scoffed good-naturedly. "Yeah, sure. Senpai may be popular with some girls, but I don't think that he'll be bombarded by a hoard of presents equal to Santa's bag."

Junpei gave a challenging smirk and with great emphasis, opened Akihiko's locker, mock-cowering from the perceived onslaught of gifts.

"See?" Yukari pointed out. "Only nice little bag of goodies. Nothing more."

Junpei took a closer look and chuckled at the little purple bag with spots topped with a ribbon. "Yeah, but it would've been funny if that actually happened. Oh, hey, maybe…"

He shifted his eyes back and forth sneakily. "What if…" he walked towards the nearby trash receptacle standing nearby that row of lockers. "That actually a lot of girls were going to give him a present, but upon finding another present _sitting_ in their rightful spot, they chucked that thing in here and replaced it with theirs so that it's _their_ present in Akihiko-san's locker instead of some other girl's."

He placed his hand on the lid and lifted it. "If that were to happen," still in his grandiose jesting manner, "the evidence would be right- HOLY CRAP I WAS RIGHT!"

Filled to the rim were gifts and baggies of various sizes and colors, all with Akihiko's name on the name-tag.

"Wow…" Yukari panned, awestruck. "Some girls are actually that underhanded to get some attention." She laughed a little, disbelieving that something rather dramatic was actually real.

"And I think that trash bag was new, too…" Minato piped in.

"Man… Akihiko-san sure is one lucky bastard," groaned Junpei. "And he doesn't even _look_ like he likes the attention! He should've counted his blessings, especially since what happened in Yakushima… Oh well."

Junpei tossed aside the lid and began hefting the bag out of the receptacle.

"J-Junpei! What are you doing?!" exclaimed Yukari.

"What? Another man's trash is another man's treasure! If someone doesn't want those presents in his locker, then who's to say that some other dude can't take 'em? I'm not going to let these babies spend their Christmas in the dumpster!"

"But they're Senpai's!" retorted Yukari. "You're as bad as those girls, Junpei."

"Fine…" he whined. "I'll just take these back to the dorm. If Akihiko-san wants them or not is up to him. But I'm not held responsible for the perishable goods!"

"Save some for me, Junpei," said Minato, his hand on his locker. "You getting ready, Yukari?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, Minato-kun." Yukair went to her locker on the other side, leaving Junpei to smirk slyly at his friend.

"So you _are_ doing something together…"

Minato just nodded. He opened his locker, and jumped aside in surprise to find many packages descending from the crammed space of his shoe locker. He glanced at Junpei with an incredulous look, Junpei looked him in shock with open mouth and gaping eyes.

"Hey, what's that noise over there?" came Yukari's voice.

Junpei placed a fist on a nearby locker and rest his head on the cold metal, trying to contain his despair.

_Be strong Junpei! Having a locker-ful of presents pales in comparison to Chidori's burning love for you! For sure, I bet spending Christmas with Chidori is greater than a mountain of presents._

* * *

Ok, I have to give credit. I was inspired by a Valentine's scene in Fruits Basket volume 3. Not word for word, but the idea carries on. So, these are outtakes which I hoped were humorous. And that concludes this fic! Thanks for all your support, and hopefully you'll see another epic storytelling from me coming soon!


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